Support for Non-Native English Speakers

What might you need to consider if you are attending a Mind-Gap course and English is not your first language?

You can access the content below in these languages: Russian, Bulgarian, Ukraine, Polish, and Romanian.

Mind-Gap is increasingly training people across the globe! Whilst this creates the most fantastic opportunity, it does come with shared challenges as to language and meaning. Our trainers want to do all we can to get this right so, as well as changes that we will make as to how we deliver your training, we also would like to ask you to consider the ideas below:

Here are the things we are committed to doing as part of your course. Please note that the areas in red are where we ask for your support:

1. Pre-course

• We will give you with pre-course work on our Learning Management System (LMS). Please ensure you allocate time to complete the pre work we provide.
• Help us identify the best English speakers in your cohort and ask them to be prepared to assist others in their first language.
• We will make our PowerPoint slides and handouts clearer—using bullet points, simpler language, and more pictures/diagrams. Please take time to review these before the course day. They are available on the LMS.
• Consider using translation apps on your phone in real time.

Spoken communication:

• Always ask your facilitator for help if you have difficulty understanding.
• We will take extra time to explain how the course will work, particularly regarding the points covered on this page.
• We will ensure that we speak more slowly and clearly. We will also try to use simpler vocabulary and avoid jargon, slang, or “inside jokes” that might only be understood by native English speakers. If we fail to do this, please let us know. 

Active participation:

• We will allow time for questions and small group discussions on key themes in your language. Please take time in these discussions to relate the content to your cultural context.
• We may ask you to participate in role plays, demonstrations, or presentations in your language. Please join in if we ask you to.
• Take notes (in English or your own language) so you have content to reflect on after the session.
• Be active in class and ask for help or translations when necessary.

• Spend a little time after the session reflecting on the day and translating any points you did not fully understand.
• We encourage you to watch recorded sections of the course afterwards on our LMS.
• Please check in with us to help us understand how your learning is progressing—how much of the spoken and written material you understood, and what we could have done better to support you.

And finally: You are the best expert in how to translate content into your language, so please work with us to consider what you might need to do to ensure that you get the most out of your learning. Try to think what else you could do to prepare for the course and maximise your learning on this course.